Shariat Boyati denied bail

The High Court yesterday refused to grant bail to folk singer Shariat Sarkar aka Shariat Boyati in a case filed on charges of hurting religious sentiments.

The court, however, issued a rule asking the government to explain in two weeks why Shariat should not be granted bail in the case.

The bench of Justice Md Emdadul Huq and Justice Md Akram Hossain Chowdhury issued the rule following a petition filed by Shariat seeking bail in the case.

Shariat's lawyer Monera Haque told The Daily Star that the case was filed against her client on false allegations.

The statement attributed to Shariat in the original case did not corroborate with what he actually claimed, she argued.

Monera said she had submitted the original statement of her client in writing to the HC.

One Mohammad Faridul Islam filed the case under the Digital Security Act with Mirzapur Police Station on January 9, accusing Shariat of making comments during a performance that hurt his "religious sentiment".

Mirzapur police in Tangail arrested Shariat, the 40-year-old folk singer, on January 11.

He was arrested in Mymensingh's Bhaluka upazila.

Shariat is a resident of Jamurki area of Mirzapur upazila, police said.

Immediately after his arrest, police produced him before a judicial magistrate's court in Tangail with a 10-day remand prayer. The court of Senior Judicial Magistrate Akramul Islam placed him on a 3-day remand.